Today started off with
an unusual sighting - as we were turning off the Highway 84 Extension onto
Marsh Road, we spotted the Smirnoff MiG on its tractor-trailer. Apparently
the driver didn't think he had enough room to make the left turn safely,
so he decided to pull off to the right, then cut over the straight-ahead
lane *and* the two left turn lanes in order to reach the 101 onramp...We
didn't stick around long enough to see if the maneuver was successful, zooming
off instead to Tumbleweed at Redwood Seaport as soon as the left-turn light
changed to green.
Ting had to meet Diane (her HKD partner) for Hankido practice at the RSF,
so I walked over to First Congregational Church for an evening concert by
the early music group Alla Francesca. According to the promo blurb on their
website:
Alla Francesca ranges the whole secular repertoire
of the Middle Ages in Europe (France, Spain, Italy). From the lyric verse
of the late eleventh century troubadours to the songs of the fifteenth century
by Guillaume Dufay, etc…The size of the group varies from trio to octet,
depending on the programmes. Sometimes, a comedian or a children-choir joins
the ensemble…
In the case of this performance, the three multi-talented
principals of the group: Brigitte Lesne - mezzo-soprano, harp, percussion
and hurdy-gurdy; Emmanuel Bonnardot - baritone, fiddle, rebec and cittern;
and Pierre Hamon - recorders, flutes, bagpipes, pipes and tabor; were joined
by vocalist Gerard Lesne in a concert entitled D'amour loial servant: French
and Italian Love Songs of the 14th and 15th Centuries. The program consisted
of French and Italian chansons of the 14th and 15th centuries, including
works by Johannes Ciconia, Pierre des Molins, Baude Cordier, Anthonello de
Caserta, Guillaume de Machaut, Francesco Landini, and Jacob Senleches.
Although I was unfamiliar with his work, Gerard Lesne is described by some
critics as *the* countertenor of our time. Other writers describe his angelic
voice as being a contralto, since his range is really quite high and lilting
for a male. In any case, I was mightily impressed, and I look forward to
the return of these musicians to the Bay Area!
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